Michigan Democrat asserts SAVE Act might prevent married women from voting

Controversy Surrounds Voter Integrity Act

Representative Hilary Scholten from Michigan has raised concerns about the Republican-backed Voter Integrity Act. She argues that this legislation could prevent married women from voting unless they update their birth certificates to match their other official identification documents.

During a press conference, Scholten emphasized a significant point: “Nearly 70 million married women in this country change their last names, but their birth certificates don’t show that.” She is particularly opposed to the act, officially named the SAVE America Act. She highlighted that in Michigan’s 3rd Congressional District alone, about 167,000 women might struggle to register to vote simply because their ID doesn’t match their birth certificate after marriage.

Interestingly, Michigan law currently does not recognize marriage as a valid reason for changing a birth certificate. As outlined by state regulations, amendments to a birth certificate are typically limited to corrections of the birth record, changes in gender designation, or updates to parental information.

Scholten’s opposition is echoed by other Democrats, particularly regarding the requirement for federal voter registrants to present government-issued photo identification to prove citizenship, which the bill imposes.

Critics of the SAVE Act, including Scholten, contend it creates unnecessary obstacles for voting. “Republicans are trying to portray the SAVE Act as a safeguard against non-citizens voting, but that scenario is already illegal. The reality is that this bill could make voting increasingly challenging for citizens, particularly women,” she remarked last year during deliberations in the House over a previous version of the bill.

The legislation mentions birth certificates as a means for verifying identity but does not explicitly outline the requirement for matching last names, which Scholten has pointed out. Voters are allowed to submit a birth certificate issued by the state of their birth, provided it includes their name, date of birth, and place of birth alongside other identification forms.

In defense, some Republican officials indicated that the SAVE Act does not impose the last name matching requirements that Scholten described. A staff member countered her statement, asserting, “Every married woman should have a marriage license.” They noted their support for the SAVE Act originates from analysis conducted by the Federalist Society, a conservative legal organization.

The Federalist Society’s website claims that the SAVE Act addresses name changes and provides necessary protections for individuals who have changed their names due to reasons such as marriage, ensuring they are not disenfranchised. They encourage opponents of the act to read its text to see that it includes provisions to prevent such issues.

Besides birth certificates, voters may also present other valid forms of identification, such as passports, REAL IDs, or military ID cards, to confirm their citizenship.